stumped

On H's fifth day of skiing (which A also would have hated, for several reasons), the official report was "no visibility and windy AF."  It was windy AF down in the Salt Lake valley too so I wasn't surprised.

Lots of rocks up there in Devil's Castle

The crummy visibility and crummy conditions (hard, fast, thin, rocky) were two reasons why A would have hated skiing this day.  The reason is as follows.  We really try to keep things positive around here but sometimes something seeps through.  

When we moved to Utah sixteen years ago and started skiing at Alta, the Supreme lift quickly became our favorite.  It was an old triple chair that required skiers to stand on a conveyor belt to load.  Because it was a triple, it had a fast singles line, since most folks ski in multiples of two; it served my favorite terrain; it was hidden, so not too many beginners ever found it; and the conveyor belt often provided entertainment.

In 2017, Alta built a new Supreme chair, a high speed detachable quad, replacing the old triple and the poky Cecret double.  The new lift loaded right outside Alf's lodge and had an eight degree bend, providing a rough ride in the middle.  I hated it: because it loaded at Alf's, all sorts of beginners now rode it, skiing expert terrain that they maybe shouldn't be on; the singles line was a mess; and that bumpy section in the middle was awful.  Meanwhile, Alta was all, woohoo, no one's ever done a chairlift with a bend before!  

Well, that's because the engineering doesn't work.  Most chairlifts have a life of 20-30 years before they need replacing.  The new Supreme lift got just seven years: due to too much stress because of that bend, Alta had to replace it last summer.  And in order to keep the existing loading/unloading points, they had to cut down a ton of trees to move the lift towers. 

That used to be my favorite tree at Alta

Including what used to be my favorite tree at Alta, an old, twisted, weathered but strong limber pine, clinging to a cliff just above the Diving Board jump feature.  Now it's just a stump, all its years of long life gone in an instant due to poor planning.  Stupid new new Supreme lift.

So as not to end on a negative note, while H was documenting Alta's savaging of its terrain, Milton and A did their Dimple Dell walk, made lentil soup and did more KitchenAid mixer-assisted baking: more ginger cookies and a loaf of olive oil bread.

 

 

definition of flat light

On Saturday,  H's fourth day of skiing at Alta, with very little (if any) new snow (despite the small storm that brought rain to the valley on Friday), there were only a handful of people on the bus.  Easy to get a seat!  The mountains were likely losing snow like crazy, however, since it was already 30F when H started skiing at 9:15 a.m.  And whether you want to call them "low clouds" or "fog," that sort of low-hanging moisture just eats snow.  When H got home, the official report was: "Visibility was not great - you would have hated it." 

Flat light and low clouds

While H was shredding what could be shredded, Milton and A did their Sego Lily loop walk (3.2 miles); made a leek, kale and potato frittata; took care of the laundry (started some new and put away clean); did some work on organizing for the upcoming holidays; baked giant ginger cookies with the new KitchenAid stand mixer A won at her company holiday party; and walked to the library for more books.  When H got home from his post-skiing trail run, the official report was: "Feels like October."  And I sure wish it would actually get cold because the plants (weeds) in our yard are still green and growing.  

Fluffy bush

day three at alta, more of the same

 Sunday, H's third day on the hill, was pretty much just like Saturday.  Fewer people to start, perhaps: he went from boarding the bus to disembarking at Goldminer's Daughter in less than thirty minutes.  No new snow, too warm for December, still got skied off quickly despite not too many people there.  He was on the 1:09 bus heading home.

The EBT is looking a little thin 

("It's all looking a little thin," says H)

Meanwhile, Milton and A were pretty busy.  We did our Dimple Dell walk, then vacuumed a little.  We made [all vegan, of course] bolognese pasta sauce for the freezer, blondies for H, and cream of broccoli soup and a just barely passable loaf of olive oil bread for dinner.  We also put together work gifts (those homemade pistachio-cranberry cookies and orange-cranberry pinwheel cookies) and decorated our little tree.  

Good for dunking in soup, anyway

fewer people, at least

On H's second day of skiing, after a week of record warm temperatures and no snowstorms, there were five people on the ski bus for the way up, and four for the way down.  Opening day excitement has waned and it's pretty much just season pass holders up there right now.  Alta has been able to make snow overnights (although they're probably losing some of it during the sunny days) and all the lifts but Supreme are now open, although terrain is still limited.  What is open is quickly skied off, even with fewer skiers; H took the 1:09 bus home.

Coverage is thinner than it looks

He did get his first mustache compliment of the season, however: "Sick 'stache, man."  And he rode the lift with a kid from Fryeburg, Maine, who is working at Goldminer's Daughter this season.  And he didn't hit any big rocks whilst skiing - he says they're easy to spot and avoid since there isn't much snow to hide them.

On the plus side, we hear from our friends back east that Sugarloaf is off to a very good start, with lots of snow and plenty of cold temperatures.  So that's good.

Our street is like Las Vegas with 

everyone else's lights

Those of us (Milton and A) who stayed down in the valley did a five mile walk through Dimple Dell, where Milt play-wrestled with a new friend, Murphy the golden retriever; stood in line for 25 minutes at the post office; baked dog biscuits, more pistachio-cranberry cookies and orange-cranberry pinwheels.

opening day

 Utah's ski areas are off to a slow start - the worst in twenty-five years, according to a local news story.  Alta pushed back their opening day, then pushed it back again, then again, finally opening on Sunday December 7.  Traditionally they open Thanksgiving weekend, but not only wasn't there any natural snow, it hadn't even been cold enough to make snow.

Before the light got completely flat

We did finally get a storm that enabled them to open 12/7.  I didn't get a pass again this year so H will be skiing solo this 2025/2026 season.  The late start date meant that the ski bus was running so he hopped on the early bus, which was packed with people.  Up at the Goldminer's Daughter lodge, he ran into a number of locals in the locker room, and then commenced the standing in line.

Alta only had two lifts running - Sunnyside and Collins - and about one run open off each lift.  They warned that conditions on the bunny slope (Sunnyside lift) were for intermediate skiers and anyone skiing off Collins should be expert level.  Because it was opening day, it was crowded; because there were so few lifts, the lines were long; and because there were so few available runs, they were choked with skiers.  H, when he returned on the 2:09 bus, reported that I wouldn't have liked it, due to the flat light, crowds of people and hard, icy conditions.  Not the most promising start to the ski season, but at least it has started.

Down in the valley, A and Milton baked chocolate chip blondies (successful), pistachio-cranberry cookies (successful but not pretty) and ginger cookies (complete failure); made applesauce from some of our CSA apples; and made a batch of Anasazi beans.

love local

As we inch ever closer towards Christmas, little (and not so little) local holiday markets and fairs are popping up across the Salt Lake valley.  I don't usually go to such things but this year, when I saw the Love Local market being held at the Wasatch Community Gardens, I felt compelled to put some money back into the local economy (aside from supporting our favorite bartenders at Woody's).

The winter garden beds at Wasatch Community Gardens

It was a $5 entry fee (going to WCG) and then there were lots of vendors selling hand made soaps, balms, oils, notecards, textiles, wreaths, pottery, herbal mixtures and tinctures, preserves, pickles, paintings, carvings, jewelry, mushroom-growing kits, decor and ornaments, hot sauces and relishes, candles, dog and cat treats, tote bags ... There were a couple of food vendors too, selling Thai street food and empanadas and arepas, plus a little beer/wine garden.

My haul

It seemed pretty well attended, and I had gotten there towards the early side - and had to circle several times before finding a parking spot.  Everyone was friendly and it was great to see folks out supporting small local businesses.  We need more of that.

enjoying the long weekend

 The rest of the Thanksgiving long weekend passed in a blur.  The weather continued to hold all the way until Sunday, so that was a treat.  On Friday, we three went up to Sand Flats for a hike (3.4 miles) out on the Slickrock/practice loop trail.  It was quite busy up there, with a fair number of MTBers but even more dirt bikers.  The campgrounds - at least the first two - were way fuller than they had been two weeks ago.

Checking out the dirt bikes behind us

We had tasty leftovers for dinner. 

Wide open spaces

On Saturday, we did a bunch of house stuff - yard clean up, hanging pictures, house-cleaning - and A and M did a 3.2 mile town walk.  Late afternoon, our friends C and F let us know that they'd gotten a babysitter so we walked to their house and hung out there for a while for beers and boardgames.  And we got to watch as C's gigantic Christmas decorations inflated themselves.  Impressive, if slightly unhinged.

Look how big that snowman is

We had leftovers for dinner.  Still tasty.

These guys had been up in the La Sals

Sunday morning, all there was to do was get up and go.  We did run into some weather on Route 6, from Soldier Summit down to Spanish Fork: it was wet and snowing but luckily not sticking to the road yet.  (Later that evening, the road would be shut down for several hours due to crashes/slide offs).  Back in the Salt Lake valley, the rain continued.  Gloomy, yes, but bringing much needed moisture and even a little bit of snow to the mountains.  Could winter actually be coming?

giving thanks

Due to work schedules, we weren't able to drive down to Moab until Wednesday morning, Thanksgiving Eve.  This actually worked out well: we were packed up and on the road by 7 a.m., rolling into town well before 11 and with no traffic to deal with.  We unloaded and unpacked, and then H and Milton went for a trail run on Pipe Dream (4 miles) while A did a town walk (3.2 miles) to see what was happening in town.  It was busier than we expected, no doubt due to the very nice weather we were having as well as complete lack of snow in northern Utah.

Not the winning cards

We did stroll over to Woody's for a beer and were inadvertently sucked into Bingo night, which was very well attended by the locals.  During the shorter and shorter off season, Woody's makes an effort to become more of a community resource, with Bingo, trivia, karaoke, Science Moab talks and other events to bring in local engagement.  It may be a scruffy dive bar but it's got heart.

Not a cloud in sight

It was absolutely gorgeous Thanskgiving morning: clear and bright and warming into the 40s with only a light breeze.  After we let it warm up a bit, we did a family hike at the Navajo Rocks MTB trail system.  We parked at the lower lot and walked up towards the upper lot, putting together a six mile out-and-back.  The parking lot was nearly full when we got back to the car and we watched MTBers and trail runners coming and going as we had post-hike beers.

At the midpoint

We had invited our neighbor to come over for Tgiving dinner but she already had plans.  So it was just us with our vegan pot pies (with stuffing instead of top crust - delicious), mashed potatoes and gravy.  Carbs for everyone!

Marie Callender frozen pie crusts 

are accidentally vegan - woohoo!

 

updated snowfall update

It's snowing in northern Utah!  People are skiing!  People are driving badly and getting into accidents!  There's already avalanches! All hail the 2025-2026 ski season.  

Ski area opening dates (revised):

Alta - December 5, 2025

Beaver Mountain - TBD

Brian Head - Open!

Brighton - December 2

Cherry Peak - TBD

Deer Valley - TBD

Eagle Point - December 19

Nordic Valley - December 12

Park City - TBD

Powder Mountain - December 12

Snowbasin - TBD

Snowbird - TBD

Solitude - Open (with one lift and like one trail)

Sundance - TBD

Woodward Park City - TBD

Like I said, it's snowing a bit.  Not much, but it's a start.

the puny utahn baking show

 The Great British Baking Show (a/k/a The Great British Bake-Off, in its home country) is my emotional comfort show.  I cannot tell you how many times I've watched it - or at least the seasons available on Netflix - because I keep cycling through, again and again.  It is delightful, calming and supportive, and the baking is amazing.

I am a terrible baker, exacerbated by the vegan thing and also living at altitude.  But I love to bake.  I'm decent at cookies and cupcakes, which makes H happy; bat about 50% on cakes; and struggle with bread.  Even the worst homemade bread can be dunked in soup, though, so very little gets wasted.

Since there's NO SNOW, there's not much to post about.  So lucky you, here are some terrible photos of the very mediocre bakes I've done lately.  Happy Thanksgiving, y'all, to those who celebrate.

Focaccia with olives: decent but needed to be

baked longer due to olives' moisture content

Chocolate-peppermint crinkle cookies: trying

new Christmas cookie recipes and these were

WAY too sweet for me (but not for H)

Pumpkin bread: haven't tried it yet,

seemed a little claggy on the bottom

Pumpkin cheesecake bars: haven't tried these

yet either but will not be making again as

the recipe took WAY too long to do

snowfall update

 Northern Utah snowfall update: there really isn't any.  The Alta and Snowbird webcams show patchy/thin coverage at best.  As of this writing, Alta has had 20" of snow on the season, with a "base" depth of 8".  That's rough even for rock skis.  And because of the whole no storms situation (be it rain- or snow-), the smoggy inversion has set in, seemingly very early.  

Current projected opening dates:

OPEN - Brian Head (woohoo!)

11/27/25 - Snowbird and Solitude

11/28/25 - Brighton, Park City Mountain Resort and Snowbasin

12/1/25 - Deer Valley

12/5/25 - Alta and Sundance

12/12/25 - Powder Mountain and Nordic Valley

12/19/25 - Beaver Mountain and Eagle Point

This has to be one of the latest [projected] openings for Alta that I can remember, in our sixteen years in Utah.  Yikes.  Gonna be bony for Christmas week, looks like.

pleasant little jaunt

Milton had a vet appointment scheduled for Monday (teeth cleaning and removal of a small lipoma on his right rear leg - all went well and he is nearly all recovered, just mostly annoyed at having antibiotics shoved down his throat twice daily and having to wear a cone for two weeks), and we had to go back to SLC on Tuesday, so our best bet for a hike was Sunday.  It was another beautiful day - not cloudy, as forecast - so we three loaded up in the truck and headed out of town, down the Potash Road to Culvert Canyon/Jeep Arch.  We didn't get the earliest start, lingering over Dave's coffee and waiting for it to warm up, but there were only a couple of cars there ahead of us.

Local humor at Dave's Corner Market

H and I had both opted to wear shorts, despite the temperatures being in the 40s (high 40s), and within fifteen minutes both of us had shed our long sleeved outer layers; with the strong sunshine, 40s/50s is super pleasant in the desert.  We did our regular route, opting for the left hand veer of the loop, so we would come to the arch clockwise.

H going into the light

When Jeep Arch was in view, we did see a couple of people silhouetted beneath the arch, but they had moved on by the time we got there.  We didn't linger, continuing around the loop, and then dropping into the canyon wash when we were able.  

That one pop of yellow

It was like we were the only people on earth, making our way down the wash.  There was enough water in spots that Milton could wade, although the pools looked pretty stagnant.  (He didn't care.)  There were a number more cars at the trailhead when we exited the culvert, but our people-free experience just proves that earlier is better if you don't want crowds.  Hike stats: just under 4 miles, which is always shorter than I think.

Looking back from whence we came

On the way back, we pulled over along Wall Street so we could watch the rock climbers while we had surreptitious post-hike beers and snacks.  There were all kinds of people there: college kids, families with kids, 30-somethings, tourists taking photos of the rock art and a 70+ year old trail runner who'd won his age group in Saturday's trail marathon.

That hole was the size of a quarter

Gorgeous day, no notes.

can't be mad tho'

It has been unseasonably warm and dry this October/first half of November (How many years do we say it's "unseasonably warm" before we accept the fact that the climate has changed and warmer is the new normal?  Asking for a friend.) and it's throwing off all the ski resorts, having to push their opening days back, and then back again, and then back again.  Brian Head had very optimistically said they were going to open November 7 ... as of the date of this writing, they're hoping for November 21.  Also 11/21: Alta and Park City.  Solitude is shooting for 11/19, Snowbird 11/27 and Snowbasin 11/28.  All subject to change, of course, which it definitely will do unless the weather also changes.

In-town colors

In the meantime, the unseasonably warm and dry fall weather has been very enjoyable, especially down in Moab.  Both H and I had Veteran's Day (Tuesday) off of work and we finagled a long weekend out of it by taking Monday as well, driving down Friday mid-afternoon.  Traffic was much less through Utah County and between Spanish Fork and Price, but it sure seemed like Main Street was hopping when we got to Moab, with lots of folks in town for the Moab Folk Festival.  Fewer side-by-sides, more post-modern hippies.  (Who am I kidding?  There's never fewer side-by-sides.)  We swung by Woody's Friday night for a post-drive decompression beer, and got to catch up with our friend C, which was great as we hadn't been sure we'd get to see him this weekend.

Dry Anasazi beans (got

'em at Moonflower Co-op)

Despite being forecasted for overcast, Saturday was pretty clear.  Chilly to start, but warming up nicely as the sun rose higher.  A and Milton set out for a Pipe Dream hike first, then H followed later for a trail run.  The dog abandoned me for H as he passed us on the first leg of the out-and-back; I had to leash Milton so he'd stay with me when H came back by.  That last bit was less fun for both of us, but at least he towed me up the hills.  (H: 4.86 miles; A: 4.5 miles; M: somewhat more than that).

Over 600 miles on the one on the

right - time for new shoes

Determined to enjoy the afternoon, we three walked to the Spitfire later for beers (FYI pitchers are not any better a deal than by the glass), then had an early backyard firepit with our neighbor A and her dog.  Both H and neighbor A are early to bed people so the time change (even though we hate it) at least allows some star-gazing before bedtime.

fall things

 Somehow, the autumn shoulder season seems shorter than the spring one: in the spring, you have to wait for the snow to melt to get out and do things in the mountains, but in the fall, you have to wait for it to snow to go out and do things in the mountains (and the ski areas get cranky if you tromp around on their newly-made snow).  Solitude says they'll open in a couple of weeks and Alta is claiming three weeks to open.  But it is over 60F and brilliantly sunny on the first Sunday in November so I feel like they may be being optimistic.

Not like New England colors,

but still pretty

We didn't have much planned for the first November weekend.  Milton and I did our five mile Dimple Dell loop both Saturday and Sunday mornings; the strong sunshine made it feel warmer than the high 40s.  H got a little chilled but managed a road ride both mornings, pretty much the latest in the season he tends to ride in SLC.  We did a bunch of chores - laundry, sweeping out the garage (oh boy did it need it), making soups and chocolate chip cookies, vacuuming (oh boy did it need it).  And, with the gorgeous weather, we felt compelled to do a tailgate in the garage while we still could.  I'm sure our neighbors can't wait for it to get cold enough for us to do our drinking indoors.

the watershed

 On Saturday, we hooked up with E and K (Milton's girlfriends) and went for lunch and beers at the newly-rechristened Watershed in Midvale.  Formerly The Midway, once their Bar Rescue contract was up, they immediately renamed the venue, got rid of all the kitchy carnival decor and improved their patio set-up with a roof, windbreak and big gas firepits.  They had also recently instituted a big vegan menu, in addition to their regular one, and we felt that it was important to go check it out.  Also: beer.

E and K were already on the patio, cozied up to a firepit with a bloody mary and seasonal pumpkin spice white russian.  After ordering our beers and checking with the waitress, H fetched Milton from the car to join us.  Our waitress was smitten as M turned his charm on her and the other folks sitting next to us.

So needy

Despite the road noise (900 East, just south of Ft. Union), it was quite nice there on the patio.  The firepits are surrounded by shelves for food and beers, although the glasses did get pretty warm.  We talked with the bartender and he was enthused for it to get even colder, saying that he figured it would stay relatively comfortable well into the winter.

So flirty

Food-wise, we all ate off the vegan menu.  K got the buffalo wrap (okay/would not get again but really good garlic fries); E got the vegan nachos (huge and quite good); H got the garlic cheeseburger (not overly garlicky and Beyond Burgers are not his favorite, although that is a personal preference not a dis); and I got the costra tacos with vegan asado (delicious but super-messy, and the salsa was excellent and spicy).  The vegan asado was also a Beyond product and I have to admit that I really wasn't sure that it was plant-based.  

So, a bar with a dog-friendly patio and decent vegan bar food, only a 10-15 minute drive from our house?  Bravo, The Watershed - we'll be back.

vacation end

And then the rain set in.  We hadn't gotten much weather during monsoon season, and Utah is always in at least some kind of a drought, so it felt ungrateful to complain.  But maybe not rain during vacation!  It felt like being back in Maine again - it always rained during our vacations there - except for, you know, desert.

At the start

On Friday, A and M did a damp, 3.3 mile town walk.  Then H and A rode their MTBs down to the start of the Moab 240 to watch the crazy runners head off.  The Moab 240 is an ultra trail marathon that is 240 miles long (give or take).  Last year, it was hotter than normal conditions for the runners; this year, they had rain and snow and overflowing creeks and so much mud.  It is such a cool event and both H and I wish we had it in us to do such a thing.  It isn't so much the distance that's intimidating - I would LOVE to hike the course, over a period of (many) days - it's the sleep deprivation.  

At the bar

After the runners headed off, we rode down to Proper Brewing (it was on the way home) for one beer, then stopped at Woody's for one beer, before returning home.  It's important to support local businesses.

At Sandflats

Saturday found us three doing a quick Practice Loop (2.3 miles) hike up at Sandflats in the morning.  We figured it would be the least wet and muddy trail we could do; indeed, all the potholes were full of rainwater.  It dried up enough in the afternoon for another visit to the Spitfire for dog-friendly patio beers.  But Saturday night we got a massive thunderstorm - the lightning was incredible.  Milton was not pleased.

At another bar

On Sunday, after A and M did another townwalk (3.2 miles), the humans headed out on their bikes for the last road ride of vacation (20.2 miles).  It was much cooler after the storm but the rain had wrecked some havoc along the trail: lots of downed branches and sand/mud washed across the bike path.  Our ride ended up being shorter than we intended, actually, because the bike path along the river was flooded and impassable.

At the end of the line

And that was it.  We cleaned the house and did yard work Monday morning before packing up and heading back to SLC.  This fall vacation was perhaps a little less active than past year's due to the adverse weather.   But we did get out and do at least one thing outdoors each day, and had double sessions several times.  Plus all that weather meant A read ten library books!

milton's seventh adoptiversary!

 We interrupt the vacation recap posts for a very important announcement: on this day seven years ago, we adopted Milton!  Seven years on, we are all quite a bit grayer, but Milt is still sweet and polite and needy.  He's a weirdo, for sure: scared of the fridge; favorite people foods are roasted butternut squash and peanut butter pretzels; doesn't like to snuggle but loves a bellyrub or a butt rub; hates having his picture taken (unless it's by his girlfriend KW); has convinced two of our dogless neighbors to keep dog jerky treats in their garages for him; loves to meet people and dogs on our walks.  Because of him, we are better friends with our closest neighbor (who tells his children and grandchildren, "Milt is my dog, he just lives next door") and we know way more people in our neighborhood than we would otherwise - one of them has dubbed him "the Mayor."  I know everyone says this about their dogs but Milton really is the best dog ever.

How it started

Cool guy

Our happy place (PC: KW)

Ears (PC: KW)

How it's going (PC: KW)

vacation middle (2)

We mostly have good weather in Moab, it being a desert and all.  But Wednesday was really the last good weather day of our vacation week.  And I think we did a pretty good job of taking advantage of it.

Gap as we made our way down

While H did a five mile trail run and an 24.3 mile road ride, A and M hiked down Grandstaff Canyon, from the Sandflats antenna to the Colorado River.  We've done this several times before, most recently just in July (the Squirrel Episode).  We may not do it again for a while.  In July, it wasn't too overgrown but this last time, the going was tough once we got down to the creek.  Numerous times we just couldn't press through - forcing our way through Russian thistle over the dog's head left me badly scratched - and we scrambled up high, along one of the benches for much more of the upper hike than we have in the past.  Milton is such a good hiker, really agile and good at finding the trail, but the prickly parts weren't fun for him either.

Art al fresco

We made it out and H picked us up, having packed lunch and beers for some post-hike picnicing at our spot above the bike path/river.  That afternoon, after getting cleaned up, we walked to the in-town ball fields to meet our friends C and F and watch their four year old son play soccer.  That kid is far better than anyone else on his team and scored like eight times in a fifteen minute game.  After that, we strolled back to their house for a yard beer, and when it was time for their son's dinner, bid them farewell and strolled over to Woody's for a bar beer.

From whence we came

Thursday brought some rain.  We tried to time it for activities and did pretty well, all things considered.  A and M did a 2.2 mile town walk while H did a 4 mile trail run.  After a late morning grocery run (A had to shelter under a tree for a few minutes on the walk back), the weather cleared up.  H and A got their bike ride in and, more than that, rode all the way up "the hill" on the bike path (28.4 miles, 2:19 time because I'm slow), going up past the entrance to Arches National Park, all the way to the first kiosk at the Moab Brand MTB trails.  Having gotten my bike in for service pre-vacation certainly helped with the shifting and braking - I still much, much prefer riding up hills than down them.

Appreciate that sky

vacation middle (1)

 Monday was another beautiful, clear, temperate day, and we three did a family hike at Amasa Back.  I love this hike: going up Hymasa to the Colorado River overlook, then returning via the jeep road.  It's an acceptable length (just under six miles), never too steep, with some of my favorite scenery in Moab and the potential for entertainment (watching off-road vehicles navigating the obstacles).  Plus the trailhead parking lot is ideal for post-hike beers, with all types of outsdoory-types (MTBers, hikers, trailrunners, off-roader, vanlifers, etc.) to talk to.

Heading down from the overlook

Later that day, H did a solo 24 mile road ride on the bike path; then we took Milton to the vet to get a bump on his leg looked at (lipoma); then we three went to Spitfire to bask in the sun whilst drinking beers on their dog-friendly patio.  We'd all earned it.  And we even had a backyard firepit that night, once the stars came out, after dinner at home.

Yay hiking!

Tuesday we felt quite virtuous, actually.  A and M did a 4.2 mile town walk, sticking to their every-other-day-off-leash routine, while H did a four mile trail run.  Then we humans did a 25 mile road ride - a little further up the bike path than A usually does.  For lunch, we packed a cooler and went to "our" picnic spot above the bike path/Colorado River.  And then the afternoon and evening were spent at home, working through our library books and catching up with our neighbor.

Yay beers!